Research and Program Evaluation in Illinois: The Extent and Nature of Drug and Violent Crime in Illinois' Counties
JO DAVIESS STEPHENSON WINNEBAGO BOONE MCHENRY LAKE
CARROLL OGLE KANE DEKALB DUPAGE COOK WHITESIDE LEE 120 S. Riverside Plaza, KENDALL WILL Suite 1016 ROCK ISLAND BUREAU HENRY LASALLE Chicago, Illinois 60606 GRUNDY MERCER PUTNAM KANKAKEE STARK Tel: (312) 793-8550 MARSHALL KNOX LIVINGSTON WARREN Fax: (312) 793-8422 HENDERSON PEORIA WOODFORD TDD: (312) 793-4170 IROQUOIS FORD TAZEWELL MCLEAN MCDONOUGH FULTON HANCOCK
www.icjia.state.il.us MASON DEWITT VERMILION SCHUYLER CHAMPAIGN LOGAN MENARD PIATT ADAMS BROWN CASS MACON SANGAMON DOUGLAS MORGAN EDGAR Prepared by PIKE SCOTT MOULTRIE CHRISTIAN COLES
SHELBY The Research and GREENE CLARK MACOUPIN CUMBERLAND Analysis Unit CALHOUN MONTGOMERY
JERSEY EFFINGHAM FAYETTE JASPER CRAWFORD BOND MADISON CLAY RICHLAND LAWRENCE MARION CLINTON
ST. CLAIR WAYNE WABASH WASHINGTON EDWARDS JEFFERSON MONROE Rod R. Blagojevich PERRY HAMILTON WHITE RANDOLPH Governor FRANKLIN
JACKSON SALINE GALLATIN Sheldon Sorosky WILLIAMSON
Chairman HARDIN UNION JOHNSON POPE
PULASKI MASSAC Lori G. Levin ALEXANDER Executive Director
December 2004 A Profile of the Peoria County
Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems
Break
This project was supported by Grant # 02-DB-MU-0017, awarded to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, coordinates the activities of the following programs, offices and bureaus: Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view or opinions contained within this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1016 Chicago, Illinois 60606-3997 Telephone (312) 793-8550 Telefax (312) 793-8422 World Wide Website http://www.icjia.state.il.us ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A number of organizations and individuals put a great deal of effort into the development of this document. The Authority’s Research and Analysis Unit is very grateful for the assistance provided by the following organizations:
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Illinois Department of Children and Family Services U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census Illinois Department of Corrections Illinois State Police
This document was put together by the following Research and Analysis Unit staff:
Sharyn Adams Jessica Ashley Robert Bauer Christopher Humble Christine Martin Adriana Perez Idetta Phillips Michelle Repp
CONTENTS Section Page Number
I. Introduction ...... 1 II. Law Enforcement Activities in Peoria County...... 3 III. Adult and Juvenile Court Activity in Peoria County ...... 11 IV. Jail Populations in Peoria County...... 19 V. Indicators of Child Abuse and Neglect in Peoria County ...... 21 VI. Appendix I (Map of Illinois Counties within a Metropolitan Statistical Area)...... 25 VII. Bibliography...... 26
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page Number
Figure 1. Total Violent Index Offense Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties...... 4 Figure 2. Total Property Index Offense Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties...... 5 Figure 3. Index Arrest Rate in Peoria and Other Urban Counties ...... 6 Figure 4. Drug Arrests in Peoria County...... 7 Figure 5. Drug Arrest Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties...... 8 Figure 6. Cannabis Seized in Peoria County ...... 9 Figure 7. Cocaine and Crack Cocaine Seized in Peoria County...... 10 Figure 8. Felony and Misdemeanor Filings in Peoria County...... 12 Figure 9. Felony Filing Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties ...... 13 Figure 10. Juvenile Delinquency Petitions Filed and Adjudicated in Peoria County...... 14 Figure 11. Sentences Imposed on Felons Convicted in Peoria County...... 15 Figure 12. IDOC New Court Commitments from Peoria County, by Offense Type...... 16 Figure 13. Juvenile Court Commitments to the IDOC Juvenile Division from Peoria County ...... 17 Figure 14. Total Active Adult and Juvenile Probation Cases in Peoria County...... 18 Figure 15. Average Daily Population of the Peoria County Jail...... 19 Figure 16. Average Daily Jail Population Rates, Peoria and Other Urban Counties...... 20 Figure 17. Reported and Verified Cases of Substance-Exposed Infants, Peoria County...... 21 Figure 18. Reported and Verified Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect in Peoria County...... 23 Figure 19. Rate of Verified Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect, Peoria and Other Urban Counties...... 24
FOREWORD
The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority is a state agency created in 1983 to promote community safety by providing public policymakers, criminal justice professionals and others with information, tools and technology needed to make effective decisions that improve the quality of criminal justice in Illinois. The Authority provides an objective system-wide forum for identifying critical problems in criminal justice, developing coordinated and cost-effective strategies, and implementing and evaluating solutions to those problems. The specific powers and duties of the Authority are delineated in the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 20, Sec. 393/7). Two of the Authority’s many responsibilities are serving as a clearinghouse of information and research on criminal justice and undertaking research studies to improve the administration of criminal justice.
Since 1989, the Authority’s Research and Analysis Unit has received funds under the federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 to document the extent and nature of drug and violent crime in Illinois and the criminal justice system’s response to these offenses. As a result of these efforts, the Authority has amassed a large amount of data measuring the extent and nature of drug and violent crime in Illinois and the impact these crimes have had on the criminal justice system. To put this information into the hands of Illinois’ criminal justice policymakers in a useful summary format, the Authority’s Research and Analysis Unit has developed profiles of the criminal justice system for each county in Illinois. In 1994, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority produced a series of reports detailing criminal justice system activity levels for each of Illinois’ 102 counties. As a result of the positive response by local criminal justice officials, in 1996 the Authority updated and expanded the scope of these reports to reflect current criminal and juvenile justice activity. It is hoped that these 2004 updated reports will be as valuable, if not more, than the original versions. In addition to providing policymakers with an overview of activities across the components of the justice system in their county (law enforcement, courts and corrections), the profiles also provide perspective by including trends experienced in counties with similar population sizes.
While the data presented in this report are by no means inclusive of all indicators, they do provide a general overview of crime and the criminal justice system’s response. In addition, these data are readily available and consistently defined through existing statewide data collection mechanisms.
The information presented in this profile has been provided to the Authority by a number of state agencies, specifically: the Illinois State Police, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The support and cooperation of these agencies and their staffs have helped make this report an informative and timely source of information on the activities of the criminal justice system in Illinois.
The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority's Web-based clearinghouse of criminal justice data available at:
http://www.icjia.state.il.us.
I. Introduction
Peoria County, located in central Illinois, covers an area of 619 square miles and had a 1998 population of 181,609, according to estimates by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census. Using these figures, Peoria County was the 32nd largest county in Illinois geographically, but 11th largest in terms of population. Combining these two measures, Peoria County had the 11th highest population density per square mile among Illinois’ 102 counties.
As with the previous reports, information specific to Peoria County is presented in comparison with similar counties. To provide more useful comparisons, counties have been separated into four types; 1) Cook County, 2) Collar counties, 3) urban counties (outside of Cook and the Collar counties), and 4) rural counties. Because of its size, Cook County is compared to the rest of the state. The Collar counties are the five that border Cook County (DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and Will). Urban and rural counties are defined by whether or not they lay within a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (Appendix 1, page 25). Based on these definitions, there are 36 counties in Illinois that are part of a MSA (Cook, Collar, and urban counties) and 66 counties that are not part of a MSA (in other words, rural).
Recent changes to the standard definitions of MSAs have affected the classification of several Illinois counties. The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas according to published standards that are applied to Census Bureau data. The general concept of a metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area is that of a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. Currently defined metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are based on the application of 2000 standards to 2000 decennial census data and were announced by OMB on June 6, 2003.
Standard definitions of metropolitan areas have changed over time. The term "metropolitan area" (MA) was adopted in 1990 and referred collectively to metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), consolidated metropolitan statistical areas (CMSAs), and primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs). More recently, the term "core based statistical area" (CBSA) became effective in 2000 and refers collectively to metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas.
The 2000 standards require that each CBSA must contain at least one urban area of 10,000 or more population. Each metropolitan statistical area must have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more inhabitants. Each micropolitan statistical area must have at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 population.
Under the standards, the county (or counties) in which at least 50 percent of the population resides within urban areas of 10,000 or more population, or that contain at least 5,000 people residing within a single urban area of 10,000 or more population, is identified as a "central county" (counties). Additional "outlying counties" are included in the CBSA if they meet specified requirements regarding residents commuting to or from the central counties.
A Profile of the Peoria County Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems
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Changes in the definitions of these statistical areas since the 1950 census have consisted chiefly of: 1) the recognition of new areas as they reached the minimum required city or urbanized area population, and 2) the addition of counties to existing areas due to new decennial census data. In some instances, formerly separate areas have been merged, components of an area have been transferred from one area to another, or components have been dropped from an area. The large majority of changes have taken place on the basis of decennial census data.
Because of these historical changes in geographic definitions, users must be cautious in comparing data for these statistical areas from different dates. For more information, contact the Population Distribution Branch at (301) 763-2419 (U. S. Census Bureau).
Based on these characteristics, Peoria County is one of Illinois’ 30 urban counties. Throughout this report, the criminal justice activity trends experienced in Peoria County will be compared to those trends experienced in the other urban counties. This comparison will be realized through the calculation of rates for the activities being analyzed, with the number per 100,000 population the format for all the rates.
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II. Law Enforcement Activities in Peoria County
One of the most commonly used indicators of the level of crime in a particular jurisdiction is the number of Index offenses reported to the police. There are eight separate offenses which constitute the Crime Index, including murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault (violent Index offenses), burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson (property Index offenses). Although these eight offenses do not account for all crimes reported to the police, they are considered to be the most serious, frequent, pervasive, and consistently defined by different law enforcement agencies.
An indicator of the workload that law enforcement agencies place on other components of the justice system is the number of arrests made by police, including those for violent and property Index offenses and drug offenses. Unlike offenses, which are what police must respond to, arrests represent those offenders who may eventually be processed through other components of the justice system, including the courts, county jails, and state and local correctional programs.
In addition to local law enforcement agencies, the Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group (MCNEG) also serves Peoria County. Throughout most of the period analyzed, there were 21 Metropolitan Enforcement Groups (MEGs) and task forces operating in Illinois. A county is considered to be served by a MEG or task force if at least one law enforcement agency within that county participated in that MEG or task force either by providing personnel or financial resources.
To learn more about the drug enforcement activities of the Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group and Illinois’ other MEGs and task forces, profiles of each of the units were developed by the Authority’s Research and Analysis Unit and are available through the Authority’s Criminal Justice Information Clearinghouse or can be downloaded from the Authority’s Website at www.icjia.state.il.us.
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Violent Index Offenses Reported to the Police in Peoria County
The number of violent Index offenses reported to the police in Peoria County decreased 60 percent between 1994 and 2003, from 2,970 to 1,179. As in previous years and in most other counties, aggravated assault offenses accounted for the majority (59 percent) of violent Index offenses reported in Peoria County in 2003.
Similarly, between 1994 and 2003, the violent Index offense rate in Peoria County also decreased 60 percent, from 1,613 to 647 offenses per 100,000 population (Figure 1). During that same period, the violent Index offense rate in the other urban counties decreased nearly every year, decreasing 28 percent overall, from 729 to 525 offenses per 100,000 population. The 2003 violent Index offense rate in Peoria County was 23 percent higher than the rate in the other urban counties.
Figure 1
Total Violent Index Offense Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties 1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400 Rate per 100,000 Population 100,000 per Rate 200
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: ICJIA calculation using Illinois State Police and U.S. Census Bureau data
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Property Index Offenses Reported to the Police in Peoria County
Between 1994 and 2003, the number of property Index offenses reported to the police in Peoria County decreased 22 percent, from 12,500 to 9,698. Thefts accounted for 66 percent of all property Index offenses reported in Peoria County during 2003.
Between 1994 and 2003, the property Index offense rate in Peoria County also decreased 22 percent, from 6,788 to 5,319 offenses per 100,000 population (Figure 2). In the other urban counties, the property Index offense rate decreased 18 percent, from 4,310 to 3,555 offenses per 100,000 population. The 2003 property Index offense rate in Peoria County was 50 percent higher than the rate in the other urban counties.
Figure 2
Total Property Index Offense Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties 8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
Rate per 100,000 Population 100,000 per Rate 1,000
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: ICJIA calculation using Illinois State Police and U.S. Census Bureau data
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Index Arrests by Peoria County Law Enforcement Agencies
Between 1994 and 2003, arrests for total Index offenses by law enforcement agencies in Peoria County decreased 24 percent, from 2,894 to 2,213. The majority of Index arrests were for property Index offenses. Of the 2,213 Index arrests made in Peoria County during 2003, 25 percent were for violent Index crimes and 75 percent were for property Index crimes. Arrests for theft and aggravated assault accounted for the majority of property and violent Index arrests in Peoria County during 2003. Of all violent Index arrests, 79 percent were arrests for aggravated assault, while thefts accounted for 78 percent of all property Index arrests.
Between 1994 and 2003, the Index arrest rate in Peoria County decreased 23 percent, from 1,572 to 1,214 arrests per 100,000 population (Figure 3). During the same period, the Index arrest rate in the other urban counties decreased 15 percent, from 1,083 to 922 arrests per 100,000 population. In 2003, Peoria County’s Index arrest rate was 32 percent higher than the Index arrest rate in the other urban counties.
Figure 3
Index Arrest Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties 1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400 Rate per 100,000 Population 100,000 per Rate 200
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: ICJIA calculation using Illinois State Police and U.S. Census Bureau data
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Drug Offense Arrests in Peoria County
Between 1994 and 2003, arrests for total drug offenses (including violations of Illinois’ Cannabis Control Act, Controlled Substances Act, Drug Paraphernalia Control Act, and the Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act) more than tripled, from 524 to 1,614 (Figure 4). Similar to other counties, total drug arrests in Peoria County remained relatively stable through the early 1990s, with significant increases occurring later in 1997, 1999, and 2003. The overall increase in drug arrests was driven by dramatic increases in the number of arrests for violations of the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act and the Cannabis Control Act. Between 1994 and 2003, the number of arrests for violations of the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act increased nearly 13 times, from 30 arrests in 1994 to 382 in 2003. Twenty-four percent of all drug arrests in Peoria County in 2003 were arrests for violation of the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act. Between 1994 and 2003, the number of Cannabis Control Act arrests increased more than three-fold, from 168 in 1994 to 718 arrests in 2003. Forty-four percent of drug arrests in Peoria County in 2003 were Cannabis Control Act arrests.
Furthermore, during most of the period between 1994 and 2003, arrests for violation of Illinois' Cannabis Control Act (which prohibits the possession, sale, and cultivation of cannabis) out- numbered arrests for violations of the Controlled Substances Act (which prohibits the possession, sale, distribution, or manufacture of all other illegal drugs such as cocaine and opiates) in Peoria County. Despite this fact, between 1994 and 2003, the number of arrests for violations of the Controlled Substances Act in Peoria County increased 54 percent from 325 to 501 (Figure 4).
Figure 4
Drug Arrests in Peoria County
1,800 1,600 1,400
1,200
1,000 800 600
Arrests Drug of Number 400 200 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year
Cannabis Control Act Controlled Substance Act Total Drug Paraphernalia Control Act
Source: Illinois State Police
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Between 1994 and 2003, the arrest rate for all drug law violations in Peoria County also more than tripled, from 285 to 885 per 100,000 population (Figure 5). Similarly, the total drug arrest rate in the other urban counties also increased between 1994 and 2003, increasing 92 percent from 332 to 637 per 100,000 population. In 2003, the drug arrest rate in Peoria County was 39 percent higher than the rate in the other urban counties.
Figure 5 Drug Arrest Rates in Peoria
and Other Urban Counties 1,000 900 800
700
600 500 400 300 200
Population 100,000 per Rate 100 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: ICJIA calculation using Illinois State Police and U.S. Census Bureau data
Drugs Seized in Peoria County
Drugs seized by law enforcement agencies are another indicator of the extent and nature of the illegal drug trade in a jurisdiction. When illegal drugs are seized by law enforcement agencies in Illinois, they are submitted to a crime lab for analysis. Most agencies submit drugs to one of the Illinois State Police crime labs. These labs record the quantity of drugs submitted from each county. This section discusses the quantities of illegal drugs seized and submitted to the Illinois State Police from law enforcement agencies in Peoria County.
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Cannabis Seized in Peoria County
Cannabis accounts for the majority of drugs seized in Peoria County and in most Illinois jurisdictions. Between 1994 and 2003, the quantity of cannabis seized in Peoria County increased 25 percent, from 24,230 grams to 30,312 grams (Figure 6). Conversely, during this time period the quantity of cannabis seized in the other urban counties decreased 62 percent, from 1,287,537 grams to 484,322 grams.
Figure 6
Cannabis Seized in Peoria County
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000 Grams Seized Grams
50,000
0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Source: Illinois State Police
Between 1994 and 2003, the cannabis seizure rate in Peoria County increased 26 percent, from 13,158 grams per 100,000 population in 1994 to 16,624 grams in 2003. The cannabis seizure rate in the other urban counties decreased 64 percent, from 54,120 grams per 100,000 population in 1994 to 19,460 grams in 2003. In 2003, the rate in Peoria County was 15 percent lower than the rate in the other urban counties.
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Cocaine and Crack Cocaine Seized in Peoria County
The quantity of powder cocaine seized in Peoria County increased dramatically between 1994 and 2003, while the quantity of crack cocaine seized decreased. The quantity of powder cocaine seized in Peoria County increased more than three-fold, from 459 grams in 1994 to 1,837 grams in 2003 (Figure 7). The quantity of crack cocaine seized in Peoria County decreased 44 percent, from 1,352 grams in 1994 to 760 grams in 2003 (Figure 7). Unlike most counties, crack cocaine has accounted for a significant proportion of total cocaine seized and accounted for 29 percent of all cocaine seized in Peoria County in 2003.
Figure 7 Cocaine and Crack Cocaine
Seized in Peoria County 12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
Seized Grams 4,000
2,000
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Cocaine Crack Cocaine
Source: Illinois State Police
The quantity of powder cocaine and crack cocaine seized in the other urban counties decreased during the period analyzed. Between 1994 and 2003, the amount of powder cocaine seized decreased 28 percent, from 47,955 grams to 34,737 grams in the other urban counties, while the quantity of crack cocaine seized decreased 45 percent, from 10,087 grams to 5,530 grams. In 2003, 1,396 grams of powder cocaine per 100,000 population were seized in the other urban counties, 39 percent higher than the 1,007 grams of powder cocaine per 100,000 population seized in Peoria County. Conversely, in 2003, the rate of crack cocaine seized in Peoria County was 417 grams per 100,000 population, 88 percent higher than the rate of 222 per 100,000 population in the other urban counties.
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III. Adult and Juvenile Court Activity in Peoria County
Although Illinois has one of the best court reporting systems in the country, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts only collects information regarding the aggregate number of court filings, dispositions, and probation caseloads. Currently, there are no statewide data available on court filings, dispositions, and convictions by offense type. However, detailed offense data are available from the Illinois Department of Corrections for those convicted felons sentenced to prison.
Trends in the number of delinquency petitions filed and adjudicated in juvenile court are also presented. Illinois statutes define delinquency offenses as those committed by someone younger than 17 years old that would be considered crimes if committed by someone 17 years of age or older.
In Illinois, county probation departments are overseen by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts’ Probation Division. This section also presents data on active misdemeanor and felony adult caseloads and the number of juveniles under the supervision of the probation departments in Peoria County and the other urban counties.
Misdemeanor and Felony Filings in Peoria County
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts reports data on criminal court cases in two categories: misdemeanors and felonies. After screening a case and deciding it warrants further action, the state’s attorney must file formal charges in court. Misdemeanor cases are less serious than felonies and can be punished by a probation sentence of one year or less and less than one year of incarceration. Felony cases, on the other hand, are more serious and can be punished by a probation term up to four years and incarceration for more than one year. When comparing the number of filings across time and across counties, it should be noted that differences in reporting practices exist. For example, when two or more defendants are involved in a single case, some state’s attorneys file a single case charging all defendants, while others file a separate case for each suspect.
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In 2003, felony and misdemeanor court filings accounted for nearly 7 percent of all filings in Peoria County’s courts (civil, traffic, family, and other). Between 1994 and 2003, the number of felony filings in Peoria County increased 5 percent, from 1,291 to 1,352 (Figure 8). During the same period, misdemeanor filings also increased 5 percent, from 2,818 in 1994 to 2,957 in 2003. In 2003, misdemeanor filings out-numbered felony filings by more than two to one.
Figure 8
Felony and Misdemeanor Filings in Peoria County 5,000
4,500
4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 Number of Filings of Number 1,000 500 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Felony Filings Misdemeanor Filings
Source: Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
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Between 1994 and 2003, the felony-filing rate in Peoria County increased 6 percent, from 701 to 741 cases per 100,000 population (Figure 9). The felony-filing rate in the other urban counties increased 30 percent during this period, from 708 to 918 cases per 100,000 population. In 2003, the felony-filing rate in Peoria County was 24 percent lower than the rate in the other urban counties.
Figure 9 Felony Filing Rates in Peoria and Other Urban Counties
1,000 900 800 700
600 500 400 300
200
Population 100,000 per Rate 100 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts and U.S. Census Bureau data
Illinois’ juvenile court system differs in several key aspects from the adult criminal court system. One aspect revolves around the difference in treatment between juveniles and adults: the juvenile court process is somewhat less formal and adversarial; authorities are given much more latitude in determining the proper response to each case. Traditionally, the terminology used to describe juvenile proceedings has been less harsh than that used for the adult criminal process. For example, Illinois’ juvenile courts accept “petitions of delinquency” rather than misdemeanor or felony criminal complaints. However, pursuant to the Juvenile Court Reform Act of 1998, criminal court terms, such as “trial” and “sentencing,” have replaced the less harsh “adjudicatory hearing” and “dispositional hearing” terms.
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Between 1994 and 2003, the number of reported juvenile delinquency petitions filed in Peoria County increased 16 percent, from 419 to 486 (Figure 10). During the period analyzed, the number of reported delinquency adjudications nearly tripled, from 96 in 1994 to 273 in 2003. The majority of cases not resulting in an adjudication were continued under supervision.
Figure 10
Juvenile Delinquency Petitions Filed
and Adjudicated in Peoria County 900 800
700 600 500
400 300
Number of Delinquency Delinquency of Number 200
Adjudicated and Filed Petitions 100 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Delinquency Petitions Delinquency Adjudications
Source: Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
Between 1994 and 2003, the delinquency petition-filing rate in Peoria County increased 24 percent, from 2,199 to 2,737 per 100,000 juveniles. During the same period, the delinquency petition-filing rate in the other urban counties decreased 10 percent, from 1,858 to 1,672 petitions per 100,000 juveniles. In 2003, the delinquency petition-filing rate in Peoria County was 63 percent higher than the rate in the other urban counties.
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Anyone convicted of a felony in Illinois can be sentenced either to prison or probation, or receive a conditional discharge. A number of factors influence the type and length of sentence imposed on convicted felons, including the severity of the crime, the offender’s criminal and social history, safety of the community, and legislation affecting certain types of offenses. For some types of convictions a sentence to prison is required by state statute.
Between 1994 and 2003, the number of offenders convicted of a felony and sentenced in Peoria County decreased from 974 to 758 (Figure 11). The number of convicted felons sentenced to either probation or prison decreased during this period. While the number of convicted felons sentenced to probation during this period decreased 29 percent, from 535 to 380, felony probation sentences decreased as a proportion of total sentences. In 1994, 55 percent of all convicted felons were sentenced to probation, compared to 50 percent in 2003. The number of convicted felons sentenced to prison decreased 14 percent, from 439 in 1994 to 378 in 2003. Between 1994 and 2003, the proportion of felons sentenced to prison increased from 45 percent in 1994 to 50 percent in 2003.
Figure 11
Sentences Imposed on Felons Convicted in Peoria County 1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200 Number of Sentences Imposed Sentences of Number
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Prison Probation Total
Source: Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
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Adult Prison Admissions from Peoria County
Between State Fiscal Years (SFYs) 1994 and 2004, the number of commitments to the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Adult Division from Peoria County increased 19 percent, from 324 to 386 (Figure 12). During this period, the number of violent offender commitments decreased, while drug and property offender commitments increased. The number of violent offender commitments decreased slightly, from 107 in SFY 1994 to 105 in SFY 2004, while property offender commitments increased 23 percent, from 119 to 146. The number of drug offender commitments increased 81 percent, from 57 to 103 between SFYs 1994 and 2004.
Figure 12
IDOC New Court Commitment from
Peoria County, by Offense Type 500 450 400
350
300 250 200 150
100 Number ofIDOC Commitments 50 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
State Fiscal Year Violent Property Drug Total
Source: Illinois Department of Corrections
In SFY 2004, violent offenders and property offenders accounted for 27 percent and 38 percent, of all admissions from Peoria County, respectively, compared to 31 percent and 37 percent, respectively, in SFY 1994. Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, drug offenders increased from 18 percent to 27 percent of all admissions from Peoria County.
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Juvenile Court Commitments to the Illinois Department of Corrections
The Illinois Department of Corrections’ Juvenile Division provides long-term custody for youths, 13 to 17 years old, who have been found delinquent by the juvenile court and committed to the IDOC. Youths may remain in an IDOC juvenile facility until they are 21. Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, the number of court commitments to the IDOC’s Juvenile Division from Peoria County decreased 39 percent, from 72 to 44 (Figure 13).
Figure 13
Juvenile Court Commitments to the IDOC Juvenile Division from Peoria County 120 110
100
90 80 70 60 50 40
30 Number of Commitments 20 10 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
State Fiscal Year
Source: Illinois Department of Corrections
In SFY 2004, Peoria County’s rate of commitments to the IDOC’s Juvenile Division of 264 commitments per 100,000 juveniles was 11 percent lower than the 298 commitments per 100,000 juveniles from the other urban counties.
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Adult and Juvenile Probation Caseloads in Peoria County
Between December 31, 1994 and December 31, 2003, the number of active adult probation cases in Peoria County decreased 25 percent, from 1,569 to 1,169 (Figure 14). In 2003, felony offenders accounted for 76 percent of Peoria County’s active adult probation caseload. Between 1994 and 2003, the number of juveniles supervised by the Peoria County Juvenile Probation Department increased 44 percent, from 505 to 729. By comparison, the number of active adult and juvenile probation cases in the other urban counties both increased 35 percent between 1994 and 2003.
Figure 14 Total Adult and Juvenile Active
Probation Cases in Peoria County 2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
Juvenile and Adult Probation Caseloads Probation 500
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Adults Juveniles
Source: Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
The active adult probation caseload rate per 100,000 population in Peoria County decreased 25 percent between 1994 and 2003, from 852 to 641 cases per 100,000 population. During that same period, the active adult probation caseload rate increased 29 percent in the other urban counties, from 639 to 823 cases per 100,000 population. In 2003, the active adult probation caseload rate in Peoria County was 28 percent lower than the rate in the other urban counties.
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IV. Jail Populations in Peoria County
Jail data in Illinois are collected by the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Bureau of Inspections and Audits. As with court data, data are not available detailing the specific offenses for which offenders were held in county jails. In addition, between SFYs 1992 and 1994, the IDOC did not collect Illinois jail population data. Data presented for SFY 1994 were estimated by the Authority using the reported SFYs 1991 and 1995 data.
Average Daily Population of the Peoria County Jail
The Peoria County Jail was one of 91 county jails in operation in Illinois during SFY 2003. There were 11 counties that did not operate a jail of their own; they relied on other counties to house their pretrial detainees and sentenced offenders at either a per-diem or contracted rate.
Between SFYs 1994 and 2003, the average daily population of the Peoria County Jail decreased 16 percent, from 282 to 236 inmates (Figure 15). During this period, pretrial detainees (those individuals who have been arrested for a crime and are awaiting trial) accounted for a decreased percentage of the average daily population, from 79 percent in SFY 1994 to 62 percent in SFY 2003. On the other hand, sentenced offenders (those offenders who have been convicted and sentenced to the county jail) accounted for an increased percentage; 21 percent in SFY 1994 compared to 38 percent in SFY 2003.
Figure 15
Average Daily Population of the Peoria County Jail 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150
Average Daily Population Daily Average 100 50 0 1994* 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
State Fiscal Year
Avg. Daily Pop. Sentenced Offenders Pre-Trial Detainees
Source: Illinois Department of Corrections *Information estimated by ICJIA
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Between SFYs 1994 and 2003, the average daily jail population rate in Peoria County also decreased 16 percent, from 153 to 129 per 100,000 population (Figure 16). During this same period, the average daily jail population rate in the other urban counties increased 41 percent, from 110 to 154 per 100,000 population. In SFY 2003, the Peoria County Jail had an average daily jail population rate 16 percent lower than the rate in the other urban counties.
Figure 16
Average Daily Jail Population Rates, Peoria and Other Urban Counties 275
250
225 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 Rate per 100,000 Population 100,000 per Rate 25 0 1994* 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
State Fiscal Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: ICJIA calculation using Illinois Department of Corrections * Information estimated by ICJIA and U.S. Census Bureau data
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V. Indicators of Child Abuse and Neglect in Peoria County
Substance-Exposed Infants in Peoria County
Illinois continues to experience the effects of prenatal substance abuse. In Illinois, if a baby is born and thought to have been exposed to illegal substances or alcohol, either through observation by physicians or toxicology tests, the case is reported to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). These cases are then investigated by DCFS to verify the child’s prenatal exposure to either alcohol or illegal substances. Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, 96 of Illinois’ 102 counties reported at least one case of a substance-exposed infant.
Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, the number of reported cases of substance-exposed infants in Peoria County decreased 48 percent, from 40 to 21. During the same period, the number of verified cases of substance-exposed infants decreased 54 percent, from 37 to 17 (Figure 17).
Figure 17 Substance-Exposed Infants, Reported and
Verified Cases in Peoria County 60
50
40
30
20
Cases Verified and Reported 10
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
State Fiscal Year
Reported Cases Verified Cases
Source: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, the number of reported cases of substance-exposed infants in the other urban counties decreased 40 percent, from 324 to 194, while the number of verified cases of substance-exposed infants decreased 41 percent, from 305 to 179.
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Child Abuse and Neglect Cases Reported and Verified in Peoria County
Recent research on the relationship between maltreatment of youth and delinquency has revealed an important distinction between child maltreatment and adolescent maltreatment. Using data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency, researchers have found that youth that were abused during childhood (12 years of age or less) were no more likely to become delinquent than youth who were not abused, but youth who were abused during adolescence (after age 12) were significantly more likely to be delinquent.1 While prior child abuse may not be linked to juvenile delinquency, studies examining prior child abuse have shown that childhood victimization may be linked to other poor outcomes in youth, including low academic achievement, teenage parenthood (particularly for females), drug use, and symptoms of mental illness.2 Additionally, research examining adolescent victimization (including physical and sexual assaults) and adult outcomes has found a correlation between previous victimization and substance abuse, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in adulthood.3 In Illinois, DCFS investigates reported cases of child abuse.
1 Thornberry, Terence P., David Huizinga and Rolf Loeber. 2004. “The Causes and Correlates Studies: Findings and Policy Implications.” Juvenile Justice Journal. 9:1. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office. 2 Kelly, B., Thornberry, T. and Smith, C. 1997. “In the Wake of Childhood Maltreatment.” Juvenile Justice Bulletin. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 3 Menard, S. 2002. 2002. “Short and Long-Term Consequences of Adolescent Victimization.” Youth Research Bulletin. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
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Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, the number of child abuse and neglect cases reported in Peoria County decreased 15 percent, from 2,749 to 2,093 (Figure 18). During that same period, 9,587 cases, or 34 percent of all cases reported, were verified by a DCFS investigation. Verified cases of child abuse and neglect in Peoria County decreased 20 percent between SFYs 1994 and 2004, from 874 to 701.
Figure 18
Reported and Verified Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect in Peoria County 3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
Reported and Verified Cases Verified and Reported 500
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
State Fiscal Year
Reported Cases Verified Cases
Source: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
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Between SFYs 1994 and 2004, the rate of verified cases of child abuse and neglect in Peoria County decreased from 2,253 to 1,520 per 100,000 juveniles, a 17 percent decrease (Figure 19). During the same period, the rate of verified child abuse and neglect cases decreased 30 percent in the other urban counties, from 1,950 to 1,322 per 100,000 juveniles. In SFY 2004, the rate of verified cases of child abuse and neglect in Peoria County was 15 percent higher than in the other urban counties.
Figure 19
Rate of Verified Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect, Peoria and Other Urban Counties 2,500 2,250
2,000 1,750 1,500 1,250 1,000 750 Rate per 100,000 100,000 per Rate Juvenile Population 500 250 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
State Fiscal Year
Peoria County Other Urban Counties
Source: ICJIA calculation using Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and U.S. Census Bureau data
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VI. Appendix I (Map of Illinois Counties within a Metropolitan Statistical Area)
Illinois Counties, by Metropolitan Statistical Area*
JO DAVIESS STE PH E NS ON WINNEBAGO MCHENRY LAKE BOONE
CARROLL OGLE
KANE DE KA L B DUPAGE COOK
WHITESIDE LE E
KENDALL
WILL ROCK ISLAND BUREAU HENRY LASALLE GRUNDY ME RCE R PUTNAM KA NK AK EE ST AR K MARSHALL
KN OX LIVINGSTON WARREN HENDERSON PE ORI A WOODFORD IROQUOIS
FO RD
TAZ EWE LL MCLE AN MCDONOUGH FULTON HANCOCK
MA S ON DEWITT VE RM ILI ON SCHUYLER CHAMPAIGN LOGAN
MENARD PI AT T ADAMS BR OWN CA SS
MA CON SANGAMON DO U GL A S MO RG AN EDGAR PIKE SCOTT MO ULT RIE CHRISTIAN CO L E S
SH E LBY GREENE CL A R K MACOUPIN CUMBERLAND CALHOUN MONTGOM ERY JERSEY EFFINGHAM FAYETTE JASPER CR A W FO R D
BON D MADISON CL A Y RICHLAND LAWRENCE MARI ON CLINTON
ST. CLAIR WAYNE W A BA SH WASHINGT ON EDWARDS MO NROE JEFFERSON
HAMILTON WHITE RANDOLPH PE R RY FRANKLIN
JACKSON SALINE GALLATIN WILLIAMSON
HA R D IN UN I O N JOHNSON POPE
PULASKI MASSAC ALEXANDER
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, (12/03)
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BREAK VII. Bibliography
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Annual Report to the Supreme Court of Illinois. 1994 through 2003 reports, Springfield, Illinois.
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts’ Probation Division, Statewide Probation Data Report. 1994 through 2003 reports, Springfield, Illinois.
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Child Abuse/Neglect Statistics Report. State Fiscal Years 1994 through 2004 reports, Springfield, Illinois.
Illinois Department of Corrections. Jail and Detention Statistics and Information. State Fiscal Years 1994 through 2003 reports, Springfield, Illinois.
Illinois Department of Corrections. Research and Planning Division. State Fiscal Years 1994 through 2004 reports, Springfield, Illinois.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Illinois Population Estimates. 1994-2003, Washington, D.C.
Illinois State Police, Crime in Illinois. 1994 through 2003 reports, Springfield, Illinois.
Illinois State Police, Drug Statistics Report. Monthly reports, January 1994 through December 2003, Springfield, Illinois.
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BREAK
120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1016 Chicago, Illinois 60606 Telephone: 312-793-8550 TDD: 312-793-4170
Fax: 312-793-8422 www.icjia.state.il.us
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor Sheldon Sorosky, Chairman Lori G. Levin, Executive Director